Southern Spars rigged Soto 30 is coming!
by Southern Spars on 2 May 2012
Rendering of Soto 30 Lucas Dittrich
The Soto 30 has been designed by Javier Soto Acebal and constructed by M Boats.
She is a smaller sister to the Soto 40 of which 27 boats have been built. The class was originally establisher to compete on the Audi MedCup circuit along with the TP52's.
Some of the features you will see on the new Soto 30 include a large ergonomic working cockpit, class-leading performance, spinnaker retrieval system, split carbon rig with PBO standing rigging, integrated electric inboard/outboard, limits on crew numbers, sails and instrumentation, carbon foils and an offset main hatch.
The mast is one of the most important components of the Soto 30, and is being manufactured by Southern Spars
The Soto 30 One Design mast is manufactured in a female tool using 100% standard modulus Pre-preg carbon fibre. This method allows us to place internal patching exactly where required for maximum benefit whilst producing a smooth external surface which generates the lowest possible windage and increases aesthetic appeal.
During manufacture and assembly, the mast passes through a series of strict One Design quality control checks which enable Southern Spars to ensure consistency of bend, weight & centre of gravity. This spar package design has been optimized from the onset with input from the designer, boat builder and sail makers – this translates into a high performance spar package that is engineered and manufactured for seamless, optimal interface with the boat and the sail package.
At Southern Spars we believe that increased tube stiffness is directly linked to enhanced performance & boat speed, hence we strive to build lighter, stiffer masts by paying careful attention to all aspects of the build. Our pre-preg carbon is carefully selected according to resin content which allows us to accurately control tube weight & centre of gravity. All fittings are marine grade & either manufactured in-house or sourced from reputable international suppliers.
The boom is a lightweight aluminum extrusion, anodized black to match the mast finish. Sail control is provided for by an efficient 8:1 Spectra outhaul as well as an internal 24:1 vang purchase which gets lead via the boom inboard end down to the deck, keeping things uncluttered.
Additional high performance features of the spar package include:
Genoa Halyard Lock
Custom designed to suit the Soto 30, benefits include:
• Effectively halving the mast compression caused by the genoa luff tension which allows us to build a lighter tube for the same bend characteristics
• Enables faster hoists as the halyard is locked into position without need for adjustment; reduces wear on the genoa halyard caused by movement over the sheave;
• Allows for faster jib drops
Main Halyard Lock
• CNC machined components guarantee uniformity & keep weight to a minimum.
Additional advantages include:
• Ensures main halyard is hoisted to the correct height, every time
• Effectively halves mast compression caused by the mainsail luff
• Reduces chafe on the main halyard caused by movement over the sheave
Jib Cunningham System
Incorporates a lightweight carbon fibre jib tack shuttle, also:
• Allows crew to easily & constantly adjust the jib tack height (hence the luff tension) thus changing the sheeting angle in response to gusts, allowing you to de-power when you need to.
Soto 30 One Design High Performance Spar Package
Internal Mast Jack System
• A 5T hydraulic jacking cylinder in conjunction with a 39.5mm fine tune shim stack means mast tension can be quickly and easily adjusted to suit a variety of conditions,?giving you greater control over your rig setup.
Aerodynamic Carbon Spreaders
Fitted with lightweight, removable, tip cup styled end fittings, extra benefits are:
• A clean spreader end which won’t snag your spinnaker during hoists & douses
• Easy removal of your side rigging for transport.
Southern Spars Regatta Splice
Uniquely Southern Spars feature:
• Enables the mast to be repeatedly split into two pieces to facilitate transport between regattas, whilst maintaining the bend & performance characteristics of a one-piece mast.
Dynex Dux Topmast Running Backstays
The lightest solution for a backstay:
• Low stretch and high strength characteristics give you more control over head stay tension and mainsail trim.
For more details contact.... onedesign@southernspars.com
If you want to link to this article then please use this URL: www.sail-world.com/96765